Foldable rule.



G. WAGENLANDER. FOLDABLB RULE APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1911.

IN V'E'JV'TOR.

a Wzym Patentd Sept. 3,1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFTQE.

CHARLES WAGENLANDER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 EDW'ARD WAGENLANDER, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIAF FOLDABLE RULE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, CHARLES WVAGENLAN- Dnn, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in F oldable Rules, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to foldable rules of that class used by mechanics and has for its object to provide a rule in a manner as hereinafter set forth, with means at the hinged ends of the sections for maintaining the sections closed when the rule is folded, for further maintaining one section at right angles with respect to the other when occasion so requires, and further constituting a spring for quickly closing the sections when occasion so requires.

A further object of the invention is to provide a foldable rule with a plurality of hinged sections and, further, with means, in a manner as will be hereinafter set forth, at the central hinge for maintaining the central sections of the rule parallel with respect to each other, when occasion so requires, and for further maintaining the central sections closed when the rule is folded,

Further objects of the invention are to provide a foldable rule formed of a plurality of hinge-sections, which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, durable, efficient in its use, readily set up and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture.

With the foregoing, and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations, and modifications can be resorted to which come within the spirit of the claim hereunto appended.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is a plan broken away of a pair of the sections of the rule illustrating thepivoted spring joint. Fig. 2 is a longi- Specification of Letters Patent.

AppIication filed August 26, 1911.

Patented Sept. 3, 1912.

Serial No. 646,123.

tudinal section on line 22,Fig. 1.. F ig. 3 is a longitudinal sectionalview illustrating one section maintained at right anglesto the other. Figs. 4 and 5 are details illustrating two of the elements forming the spring joint shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Fig. 6' is a sectional plan illustrating the spring joint between the central sections of the rule. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the central sec tions of the rule, and Fig. 8 is a detail illustrating one of the members of the pivoted spring joint of the central sections of the rule.

A rule in accordance with this invention is preferably constructed of four sections, a pair of outer sect-ions, and a pair of inner sections, that is to say, when the rule is of twenty-four (24) inches; if thirty-six inches, the rule would be formed of six sections. There is illustrated two central sections and one end section. The central sections are indicated by the reference characters 1, 2, while the end section is designated 3. The inner end of each of the sections has secured thereto a pair of plates. The plates for the section 1 are indicated at 4, 5, and the plates for the section 2 are indicated as at 6, 7

Interposed between and secured to the plates 4, 5 is a hinge member consisting of a body portion 8 and 'an extension 9. The outer end of the body portion 8 is cut away as at 10 to provide a pocket. The inner side of the extension 9 is flat and forms a continuation of the flat wall 12 of the pocket 10. The flattened inner side 11 of the eX- tension 9 is approximately centrally of the body portion 8. The extension 9 depends outwardly from the body portion 8, and has its outer side flattened as at 13. The ends of the extension are rounded as at 14:, 15.

The extension 9 approximately centrally is provided with an opening 16. The plates 6, 7, are each provided with a circular extension 17 between which is arranged the extension 9, the latter being pivoted to the extensions 17 by a pivot pin 18. Mounted between the plates 6, 7 is a filler block 19 provided with an opening 20 which forms a continuation of the pocket 10. the outer end of the block 19 is curved as at 21 which forms a bearing for the curved end 14 of the extension 9. Fixed at one end between the pins 23 which are arranged between the plates 6, 7 is a double leaf spring A portion of 2% which extends into the pocket 10 and which is adapted to engage the flat edge 11 of the extension 9 for maintaining the section 1, 2 in an extended position, as clearly shown in Fig. 6. The spring 2 1 is adapted to engage the edge 13 when the section 1 is moved to have its inner edge engage the inner edge of a section 2, thereby maintaining the said sections in such position. hen the spring 24; engages the rounded edge 14: of the extension 9 the section 2 is maintained in a position at right angles to the section 1. Each end section is connected to a central section in a similar manner so the description of the joint between the end section 3 and the end section 1 will be set fortln but it is to be understood that the jointwhich is now to be described can also he used for connecting an end section to the section 2.

The section 1 has its outer end bifurcated as at 25, and to each of the walls formed by the bifurcation is secured a plate 26, the inner ends of said plates, as at 27, being embedded in the section. The section 3 has that end which opposes the bifurcated end of the section 1, also bifurcated, as at 28 and against each of the walls formed by said bifurcation is secured a plate 29, the inner end 30 of which is embedded in the section 3. Fixedl secured by the hold-fast device 31 between the plates 29 is a shouldered block 32, the shoulder thereof being indicated as at The block 32 is formed with a depending extension 3% which is pivotally connected to the opposing ends of the plates 26 and 29, thereby pivotally connecting the section 1 to the section 3. The forming of a block 32 with a shoulder forms a ledge 35 for the free end of a double leaf spring 36, the latter having its other end, as 37, secured between a pair of pins 88, which extend between the plates 26.

By the foregoing construction and arrangement of parts, the spring 36 maintains the section 3 at right angles with respect to the section 1 when the section 3 is shifted so that the spring will engage the outer end of the block '2, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The spring 86 is also adapted to maintain the sections 1 and 3 closed when the section 3 is folded upon the section 1 and is further more adapted to maintain the section 3 extended with respect to the section 1 when the spring engages the ledge 35. as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

:Vhat lt claim is it rule comprising a plurality of foldable sections, a pair of plates secured to each of the opposing ends of said sections, a hinge member interposed between and secured to one of said pair of plates and consisting of a body portion and an extension, the outer end of said body portion cut away to provide a pocket, the inner side of said extension being fiat and forming a continuation of one wall of said pocket the flat inner side of said extension positioned approximately centrally of said body portion, the outer side of said extension being flat, a circular extension projecting from each. of the other plates of said pair and between which projects the first mentioned extension, means for pivotally connecting said extensions together, a filler block mounted between the plates provided with. the extensions and formed with a rectangular opening constituting a continuation of said pocket, a pair of pins arranged at one end of said pocket and a flat spring having one end anchored between said pins and extending the substantial length of the pocket, said spring engaging the extension of said body portion for maintaining the latter from movement.

in testimony whereof T affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

Ci -TABLES WAGENLANDER. Witnesses llLix H. SROLOVITZ, CHRISTINA T. Hoop.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

